ROUND ROCK, Texas -- The man accused of plaguing the Austin area for weeks with deadly bombings has been identified after blowing himself up and being shot by authorities during a deadly confrontation with police early Wednesday, according to officials.
- Officials: Mark Anthony Conditt is the suspected bomber
- Unknown if Conditt had help, police say
- SWAT officer injured during confrontation
"This was the suspect in the bombing incident in Austin," Interim Police Chief Brian Manley of the Austin Police Department said during an early-Wednesday news conference.
A law enforcement official told the Associated Press that the man has been identified as 24-year-old Mark Anthony Conditt, a Plfugerville resident. The official, who has been briefed on the investigation, spoke on the condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.
Police officers and federal agents waited for tactical units to arrive to take suspected bomber into custody while he was at a hotel in Round Rock, which is a 25-minute drive from Austin, when he got into a vehicle and drove off, Manley explained, adding that authorities followed him.
The man stopped the vehicle at the side of the road and as the Austin Police Department's SWAT team approached the vehicle, "the suspect detonated a bomb inside the vehicle, knocking one of our SWAT officers back and one of our SWAT officers fired at the suspect as well. The suspect is deceased and has significant injuries from a blast that occurred from detonating a bomb inside the vehicle," Manley said.
"We believe this individual is responsible for all incidents that have taken place in Austin starting on March 2 and those that occurred since then as well," Manley stated.
The SWAT officer who fired at the suspected bomber has been placed on administrative duty, Manley explained, adding that the other SWAT officer sustained minor injuries from the blast.
Manley said the public should still be vigilant because they do not know what he was doing for the past 24 hours or if he acted alone or not.
Manley and the FBI stated that the investigation into the series of bombings will be ongoing to determine what the motive was.
In addition, authorities urged that people should call 911 if they see any suspicious packages that could still be out there.
Early Wednesday morning, the Austin Police Department announced on Twitter that it was responding to an officer-involved shooting near Interstate 35 in Round Rock.
Since March 2, a series of bombs have caused death and injuries throughout the Austin area of Texas. So far, a total of two people, not including Conditt, have died and now five people have been injured in the explosions.
On Tuesday, a package en route to Austin exploded at a Schertz, Texas, FedEx processing plant causing an injury to an employee. However, authorities say she was treated at the scene and released.
In addition, a second bomb was discovered at a FedEx facility outside of the Austin airport and it was tied to the other bombings that have plagued the area. No one was injured in that incident.
On Tuesday evening, an "incendiary device" exploded at a Goodwill in Austin. The device was originally reported as packaged bomb, but it was a military artillery simulator, which is a training device that is supposed to mimic grenades and other explosives used in combat.
One man in his 30s was injured after handling the device, however. He was treated and released from the St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Timeline of Texas Bombings
First bombing: The first explosion took place before 7 a.m. on March 2, when a package exploded on the front porch of a house on Haveford Drive, located just east of Interstate 35 in North Austin.
The victim, 39-year-old Stephan House, was taken to St. David’s Round Rock where he died about 8 a.m.
Austin police said the package was left with the intention to hurt or possibly kill someone.
Second bombing: The second explosion took place on March 12, around 6:50 a.m. at a home located on Oldfort Hill Drive, which is near East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in East Austin.
This blast, which occurred in the home's kitchen, claimed the life of 17-year-old Draylen Mason. The explosion also injured his mother.
Third bombing: Hours later, around noon on March 12, a third package exploded at a home on Galindo Street in East Austin.
A 75-year-old Hispanic woman was severely injured when she picked up a package from her front porch. She was last listed in critical but stable condition at Dell Seton Medical.
Fourth bombing: The fourth explosion occurred on March 18 around 8:42 p.m. on the 4800 block of Dawn Song Drive.
A 22-year-old man and a 23-year-old man, both white, were walking down a neighborhood road when they apparently tripped an explosion.
This explosion differed from the others, because, according to Interim Police Chief Brian Manley, what was most likely a tripwire detonated the device.
Fifth bombing: At least one person is hurt after a bomb went off at a FedEx plant in Schertz, Texas, on Tuesday, March 20, 2018.